As the Paths Diverged
by JMills
Summary: Irvine was wrong. Choices do impact the world. Small choices can change the future.
1. One for Sorrow

As the Paths Diverged

WARNINGS

1) I don't own the Final Fantasy characters, series, or plotline. I guess I own this, but if you steal it, I probably won't do anything about it.

2) Rated PG-13 for language and violence.

3) Let's place the story about a year after Ultimicia.

A/N: This has been edited as of 12/3/04. Chapter 2 has seen the most of the revamping, so you may wish to at least reread that if you have read it before.

****

One for Sorrow

"As you well know," Quistis Trepe sighed, brushing her hair out of her eyes. "The SeeD exam will take place tomorrow morning." She paused as a paper airplane flew from the back of the class and landed softly on an empty desk. The last three rows of her class were asleep and she counted four people playing computer games. It was the end of the year and she could hardly blame them. Quistis still had to teach summer semester, but little to few students stayed the summer. The only ones who did were the incredibly stupid or the incredibly homeless.

"We'll be departing Garden at approximately 700 hours," she continued after readjusting her glasses and clearing her throat. Thankfully, the bell sounded and let out her second to last class of the semester. "This is the last chance for some of you," she called as her students filed past her. "Be prepared."

(0000000000)

"I failed the last four." Zell grumbled, looking down at his clipboard. "Just to let you know." The cool ocean breeze was more and more refreshing each time he returned to Garden. Covered in ash and sporting several small burns, the blonde brought his glance to the next student. "Gouldren, Ethan?"

"Yeah."

"Junctioned?"

"Yup."

"Right. Let's roll," Zell muttered, nodding his head towards the Fire Cavern. The blonde was somewhat disappointed with this next cadet, but he'd seen a lot worse today. He had short brown hair and was about 5'7. Zell was a bit shorter, but Ethan was a lot smaller physically. "I'm not going to have to whip out a phoenix down for you am I?"

"No sir," Ethan retorted, keeping his head on the path. The wind began to pick up a bit, but the humidity was increasing as they approached the cavern.

"Not a whole lot of good glove fighters this year," Zell continued, more to himself than Ethan. "Do you smell that?"

"Uh…"

"Oh never mind; that's me," the blonde laughed. "Ignore that."

"Ok."

A brief silence stood over the two as Zell realized Ethan wasn't up for a hearty conversation. Stoicness never stopped him before though, so it wasn't long before Zell thought of another question to ask. "So what kind of gloves do you have?"

"Uh…standard Metal Knuckles sir."

"Name's Dincht, not sir,"

"Oh…" Ethan muttered, stumbling over a crack in the path. "Sorry, yeah I know who you are. I just thought you were going for the whole intimidation factor."

"Yeah, but I hate bumbling cadets," Zell nodded, snatching a gnat out of the air. "If you try to do everything by the book; Ifrit will bite your head off."

"I think I'm pretty well prepared, Zell."

"Dincht!" Zell exclaimed, shaking his head. "It's Dincht. Why the hell can't anyone get that right today?"

"Sorry Dincht," Ethan quickly apologized. It was only five minutes into the exam and he already felt retarded.

"Good," Zell smiled, as the path turned to dirt. The Fire Cavern loomed directly in front of them. "How many minutes do you want?"

(0000000000)

"What time is it Irvy?" Selphie asked between sips of coffee. The Cafeteria was slowly thinning out and the night lights were coming on.

"'Bout 2000 hours," the cowboy responded, looking down at his watch. "Fancy we should go up?"

"I fancy we should," Selphie smirked, grabbing Irvine by the hand. The two made their way through the deserted corridors to the elevator. The low hum of the Garden soothed the air as the elevator sounded; signifying it's arrival. "Any good cadets today?" Selphie asked, skipping into the lift.

"A few," Irvine admitted as the elevator lurched up. "How about you?"

"I have FOUR cadets," Selphie whined. "Nobody wants to learn the Nunchaku anymore."

"Are any of them any good?"

"All of my children are brilliant," the brunette beamed.

"Wow, I wish I could say the same," the cowboy laughed.

"That's because you're not affectionate," Selphie pouted.

"Not true," Irvine said smoothly. He wrapped his arm around Selphie's waist and smiled. "It's just that everyone who's too scared to fight with a sword wants a gun." The elevator dinged again and they stepped out in front of Squall's office.

"Poor you," the brunette sulked.

"You're telling me." The cowboy opened the door for Selphie and they joined Squall, Rinoa, Quistis, and Xu.

"Everyone here?" Xu questioned, looking around the room.

"Zell…" Squall muttered, not looking up from the floor.

As if called for, the blonde burst through the doors. Still covered in ash and smelling quite profusely, Zell took a seat adjacent to Rinoa. "Sorry. A cadet panicked and gave Ifrit with some fire spells."

Rinoa and Irvine giggled, but Squall kept his head down.

A brief silence flooded the room as the lion gathered his thoughts. "The SeeD mission has been decided for tomorrow," Squall muttered, getting straight to the point. "At 700 hours tomorrow, we will be departing to Balamb. From there, we will receive a ship transport to Centra."

"Centra?" Zell interrupted.

Squall just glared at him.

(0000000000)

"I totally fucked up man. Just totally."

"Slow down, it can't be that bad."

"I knew 20 minutes was too short. Should have tried thirty. There's no way I'm going to get into SeeD."

"Settle down Ethan. Did you kill the thing or not?"

"Yeah, but that was after 27 minutes of Zell seeing me act like an idiot."

"Well if you killed it, it couldn't have gone that bad."

"True. The lesson for the day is that Ifrit plus fire equals bad shit. How the hell was I supposed to know that?"

"Oh…"

(0000000000)


	2. Two for Joy

As the Paths Diverged

WARNINGS

1) I don't own the Final Fantasy characters, series, or plotline. I guess I own this, but if you steal it, I probably won't do anything about it.

2) Rated PG-13 for language and violence.

3) Let's place the story about a year after Ultimicia.

**Two for Joy**

It had been a long year for Seifer Almasy. So close, but he could never get what he truly wanted. They dangled it in front of his face and expected him to be content. They were doing him a _favor_ and hoped he would be happy. He'd rather be dead. Yes, it had been a long year for Seifer Almasy.

Sure, he had Raijin and Fujin, and fishing was fun, but for a year, Balamb was boring. Everyone in town knew he was there, but he still had to remain incognito. The first few days he wore the trench coat, his reception was less than pleasant. They didn't kill him though, which is more than could be said about other towns. So in Balamb he remained; biding his time.

Then they came. He knew today was the day. Today was the day they'd let him back in Garden. So what if he wasn't a SeeD. He was the Sorceress's Knight. Doesn't that count for anything? Of course it did. If it didn't, why was everyone coming to Balmb today? Quite obviously, it was a welcoming parade for his return to Garden. Maybe they forgot to inform him of it. No, no, it was a surprise. Seifer always loved surprises. A heavy rain continued from the night before as Seifer stood by the docks. Group after group of cadets passed him and filed onto the reserved boats. To his utmost disappointment, Seifer watched the cadets completely ignore his existence. This may have been due to the fact that he wore a dark hoody. Seifer was barely recognizable. It was better that way.

He knew his old friends recognized him as they passed though. He saw the fire in Chicken Wuss's eyes. Selphie looked away intentionally. They noticed him, but the wounds were apparently still too deep. But maybe not to Squall. The brunette looked directly into his eyes as he passed. Through the stoic mask, Seifer thought he saw a little compassion, but that was stretching it. Regardless, nobody said anything to Seifer.

"730 HOURS," Fujin shouted, sneaking up on Seifer.

The blonde jumped a bit but quickly regained his composure. "Can't sleep," he muttered. Through the down pouring rain, the two watched the last SeeD boat leave the dock. "They have to come back eventually."

(0000000000)

Of course Zell saw Almasy. How could he miss him? After fighting the Sorceress's knight on several occasions, nobody could forget him. It stung Zell to see him today though. Luckily, Ma claimed she had yet to meet him. Zell assumed he'd been creeping around like a rat, which is exactly the way he wanted it. Seifer still hadn't repaid his sin to society. Zell wasn't ever sure if the wounds would heal. But seeing him today was unnerving to say the least.

The rain pattered softly on the deck of the boat as they traveled south. Zell hated the constant up and down motions of the boat, but it was never seasickness. Today was especially bad however and Zell did a lot of sitting. The sea was angry that day, like an old man trying to send back soup at a deli. The smaller the boat, the worse it was though. Luckily, there were quite a few glove fighters this year, so they were given one of the medium sized vessels. After the passage of Fisherman's Horizon, the rain stopped completely. Zell descended to the cabin below the ship to address his cadets.

"Morning Cadets," Zell called as he reached the last step. He landed awkwardly on the edge of it and half fell before regaining his balance on the floor.

"Good morning Sir," his students responded, unfazed.

"Lights," the blonde yelled, after regaining his composure. The entire room went dark and a monitor lit up the right wall. Zell pulled out a laser and a picture of a diamond shaped structure appeared on the screen. "This is Centra Ruins," Zell began, pacing about the room. "It has been noticed that a rebel GF is causing an abnormal amount of damage to its home and surrounding areas." Our objective will be to subdue the GF and bring it back to Garden for research and possibly junctioning.

Zell clicked through a few more pictures of the structure and then called for the lights again. "You will be broken into groups of three. There will be one rifle shooter and one swordsman guaranteed, so there's no calls of disadvantage. Good luck, you'll need it." With that, the blonde went back up to the deck. He didn't trip this time.

(0000000000)

"Ethan Gouldren," he introduced himself, as he tightened his gloves. The group had finally made it past the sandy beach and walked along Centra's dry, cracked ground.

"Ash Bender," said a gun slinging woman. She was about 5'4 but somewhat heavy. This wasn't helping them speed wise.

"Ty Deiter," muttered a dark haired man with a generic broadsword. Previously, Ty had lost his sword for twenty minutes, so their group was a good deal behind the other teams.

_"Great, I'm stuck with a moron and a ham troll," _Ethan thought as they trudged forward. With his failure at the Fire Cavern, this year was looking grim. "I've go the map, so we basically gotta go northeast." After their late start, Ethan made sure he had the map. Obviously competency was lacking in his ragtag group.

The trio walked silently across the plain for almost a half hour before the structure came into view. The sharp, dry air stung their skin and the dull sound of the ocean had vanished completely. All that was left was arid ground. Finally, the structure loomed before them. Small flashes appeared all over the structure and it smelled of gunpowder. They were late.

"My Blue Heaven," Ty read as they entered the facility. A sudden scream caused the group to look up. About thirty feet above, Death, riding a horse, was creating havoc. They were much too late; the GF was already in battle.

"Dammit," Ethan said aloud. He had made one small mistake in the Fire Cavern and was grouped with a bunch of morons. These circumstances wasted an entire year of work.

"Should we go up?" Ash asked, looking to Ethan.

"I have no clue," Ethan snapped. "You're the group leader."

"Oh…well I'm not sure. What do you think Ty?"

"Ethan got us here pretty well," Ty said, thinking very hard. "I differ to him."

With both his teammates looking to him, Ethan ran his hand through his short brown hair. "No…no we shouldn't go up. Let's stay here and have some tea and crumpets. We can giggle and be merry."

Both Ty and Ash looked at him inquisitively, not sure whether or not to believe him. Before Ethan could hit either of them, an eruption of screams was heard above them. The GF had wiped out an entire group and began to gallop away. The horse made a giant leap and soared in slow motion over Ethan's head. The trio dove to the floor as the beast galloped away behind them.

"Now we follow it," Ethan ordered, getting up quickly. He pulled Ty to his feet, and through a group effort, they helped Ash up.

Waiting patiently on the plains, the GF beckoned to the group. This was their chance. Before anyone acted, Ty ran a quick scan.

NAME: Odin

HP: ???

WEAKNESS: None

DRAW: Stop, Death, Double, Triple

- A legendary GF that sleeps in a dungeon. Zantetsuken cuts anything that stands in its way.

"That was helpful," Ethan muttered to himself. He watched Ash cock her gun and Ty unsheathe his sword. They spread themselves in a half circle around Odin. "Here goes nothing."

The GF seemed weakened. Odin's horse was trotting with a limp and he had a large cut on his arm. Regardless of his injuries, Odin took out his sword and pointed it at his challengers. The opponents glared at each other; daring the other to make the first move.

Ash did just that. The shot was propelled out of her Valiant and the sound resonated across the plain. Surprisingly it was dead on, and the group anticipated blood.

With what seemed like a friendly hand gesture, Odin twirled his sword and deflected the bullet. Deservedly angry, the GF kicked his horse in the side and began to charge.

Never did such a fear take over Ethan's body. Ifrit was a bit spooky, but the hell beast didn't have a seven foot sword. Luckily, he found his legs did not fail him. Ty was also apparently very good at running. Ash was not.

As soon as Ethan noticed the hooves were not coming for him, he reared around to see Ash in a bad way. Grimacing, Ethan watched Ash collapse to the floor. He pushed the thoughts of ripped skin and gushing blood out of his head. If he couldn't see it, it didn't exist. Wiping the sweat off of his forehead, Ethan suddenly saw how real the situation was. The dry air made it hard to breathe and all he could smell was dirt. Ash was on the ground. Ty was east. Ethan was west. Odin was between them. Ethan wasn't sure what to do anymore. His brain told him to keep fighting for the SeeD spot. His heart told him to run. It told him to run as far away from that monster as he could possibly get. Ethan's legs were failing him, as he was torn between charging or retreating. Suddenly, a calming thought overcame him. _"I'd rather die than spend another summer at Aunt Penny's house."_ He repeated this to himself once and then twice. Ethan's legs stopped twitching and his metal knuckles felt quite heavier. Retightening his gloves, Ethan started his sprint towards Odin.

Seeing Odin turn towards the charging Ethan, Ty let out a sigh of relief. Steadying his nerves, Ty sheathed his sword and ran towards the mountains. After seeing Ash get gutted like a fish, Ty had made up his mind to _"fuck this noise"_. He gave Ethan a quick wave over his right shoulder and burst into a full sprint.

Ethan didn't even see Ty leave. Instead, he kept his full attention on Odin's seven foot sword. Other than that sword, the brown haired cadet saw no immediate threats. As Odin turned towards him, Ethan knew what was coming. He had seen the same slice come towards Ash.

In two quick gallops, Odin was inches from his challenger. With a quick twirl of his wrist, the GF expected to feel his sword pierce the small cadet. To his utmost disappointment, his sword met no resistance. After a moment's pause, Odin felt his horse quiver a bit under him.

Looking down to his knuckles, a wave of panic overtook Ethan. The metal knuckles had broken like glass in a mirror, and streams of blood were running down his palm. He had slid under the horse and drove his fist into one of its' rear legs. It was like punching a steel plate. The pieces of metal stuck in the horse's leg had not even drawn blood. Attack phase number one had failed. As he laid on the cracked ground, a million thoughts ran through Ethan's head. He could still hear the gunfire and explosions from the ruins. Why the hell were the cadets still fighting over there? Hadn't they realized that Odin wasn't there anymore? The thought of Ash and Ty being the average cadet made Ethan realize maybe they were just that stupid.

Odin's horse screeched like a hybrid of a bat and an elephant. Taking a step backwards, the horse hoped to trample the annoying cadet.

The incoming hoof chased all logical thought out of Ethan's head. Making a quick roll to the left, Ethan felt the ground shake and crack under the weight of the horse. A cloud of dust rose and covered the cadet. His sinuses filled with the scent of dirt and his eyes watered heavily. Ethan slowly found his feet and backed away from Odin. Luckily, Odin watched him slowly peddle backwards and did not attempt another charge.

The loss of blood and pulsing adrenaline caused Ethan to succumb to a wave of dizziness. He tripped over his own feet several times as he stumbled away from the GF. Ethan suddenly considered his bravery to be a little foolish. There was no way he was going to be able to take down the GF alone. Maybe if he just kept backing away, Odin might find interest in something else – such as a small rabbit or squirrel. Luckily, this was working for him. Odin stared at him inquisitively and showed no sign of continuing the fight. Ethan let out a sigh of relief and wiped off the river of sweat that was running down his forehead. As he continued his mini-retreat, Ethan suddenly felt his legs get taken out from under him by what felt like a curb.

The cadet fell backwards onto his tripper. Surprisingly, it was squishy and he bounced off of it and fell back to the sandy ground. Shooting his glance sideways, Ethan recognized the "curb". His face went white and he felt his breakfast rise from his stomach. He had just rolled over Ash's bloody corpse. Looking down at himself, Ethan saw that his hand and his shirt were now covered in her blood. The vomit rose again; stronger this time. In a flash Ethan threw off his shirt and began to madly wipe his hand into the desert ground. With one hand still spewing his own blood and the other covered in Ash's, Ethan grimaced but held his stomach down.

At this point, Odin changed his mind about letting the boy go. With the cadet obviously horrified about something, Odin began a slow trot towards him. The two weren't more than ten feet apart, so there was no need for a full gallop.

As Ethan saw Odin approach, he felt his own demise coming on. With a broken right knuckle and nothing to serve as a distraction, the cadet felt screwed. Then it dawned on him – what he needed was help. Reaching desperately into his back pocket, Ethan pulled out a phoenix down.

Odin was done fooling around. When he was inches from the boy, he brought his sword into a low sideways slice. At the very least, he would cut off the cadet's legs. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, a glitter of red caught his attention. Before he could react, the pudgy cadet he had slain earlier shot back to life. Her gun misfired as she moved into a sitting position. Odin saw the bullet move in slow motion. He attempted to get his sword up in self-defense, but it was too late. At the last second, Odin jerked backwards, almost falling off of his horse. The bullet nicked the tip of his horn, shattering the sharp point of it.

As Odin was busy with Ash, Ethan lunged at the GF. This was his one and only shot and he prayed it worked. Moving to the horse's head, Ethan took a swing at it's eye. Like gripping a handful of glass, Ethan pushed it as far into the tissue as he could. His hand began twitching as more of his blood ran down his arm.

The results were immediate. Odin's horse whinnied and balanced onto its' hind legs. Between the bullet and the bucking horse, Odin was holding on for dear life. He luckily grasped the reigns and kept his balance upon the horse. While Odin was finding his balance, the horse took on revenge of its own. In a second's time, the horse wheeled around and connected one of its hooves to Ethan's chest.

The air was pushed out of Ethan's lungs and he landed three feet away from Odin. The coppery taste of blood filled his mouth as he struggled to breathe. The cadet watched in horror as Odin simply stuck his monstrous sword into Ash and watched her crumple again to the ground. Ethan was on his own again. This time, he was in a bad way. He survived longer than many of the other candidates. Maybe that would count for something. He also did a lot of damage to that stupid horse. Ethan watched it stumble clumsily towards him. The horse's eye was highly damaged if not blinded all together. With as much effort as he could muster, Ethan rolled onto his side and turned his back to the GF. He considered it best not to see the sword go into him. If he didn't see it, it didn't exist. It was agony as he listened to the horse slowly approach. The horse's steps resonated across the silent plain and slowly became louder as they approached Ethan. He felt a hoof stop right by his head, and he knew that his demise was imminent. Dust settled in his hair and once again invaded his nose. Ethan pulled his legs up to his chest and prepared for the pain. He waited. And waited. And waited some more. It never came. Then he heard it.

"Yeah, group 332!" exclaimed a very excited girl. "We found the GF!"

Ethan couldn't believe his ears. It was about fucking time. Rolling onto his other side, Ethan watched as Odin approached the group of three. There was no way in hell he was going to let them take his GF. It was Ethan who had blinded the damn thing, and it would be over his dead body that some bumbling group would put Odin down. Running on pure adrenaline, Ethan clumsily got to his feet. He looked more like a nomad than a cadet. With no shirt and a hand that looked like it was put through a wood chipper, Ethan limped towards Odin from behind.

Despite having a handicapped horse, Odin continued his old battle tactics. He deflected two bullets with his sword, and started to approach the nearest attacker. He brought his sword above his head, but as he lowered it, he met a sudden resistance and missed the cadet. Shooting his glance to his sword, Odin saw a pair of hands was challenging him for control. The GF looked behind him to find the one who blinded his horse.

Ethan hung on with all he was worth. Luckily, the horse wasn't moving too quickly, and he was able to stabilize himself. He put his hands above Odin's on the hilt of the sword and tried his best to jerk it away from him. Needless to say, he was failing quite effectively. Odin still controlled ninety percent of the sword. Ethan caught a tough elbow into his already bruised chest. Struggling to just hang onto the sword, Ethan prayed for a miracle.

Surprisingly, that miracle came in the form of group 332. While Odin was distracted with Ethan, the gunman took aim and fired again at Odin. It connected.

Right before Ethan was about to fall off, he heard the shot. Odin's left horn exploded violently. A wave of pain must have shot through the GF, as Ethan watched Odin lose his grip on the sword. With one final tug, Ethan ripped the sword out of the monster's hands. In slow motion, Ethan watched the sword fly out of both of their hands and twirl in the air. Both Ethan and Odin made a grasp for it. Hyne was smiling on the cadet that day however. Odin caught the blade and Ethan caught the hilt. With his last ounce of strength, Ethan pushed forward and pierced Odin with his own sword. The sound was deafening. Both Odin and the horse screeched in as high a pitch as they could muster. Instead of falling to the ground, the GF disappeared into thin air. Ethan fell ten feet to the ground and blacked out. He was still clutching the sword.

_"Very well.__ I will join you."_

(0000000000)

The rain had finally stopped in Balamb, but Seifer didn't take off his hood. Row after row of SeeD cadets passed him by on their way back to Balamb. He saw the uneasiness in Chicken Wuss's eyes. Dincht never liked him much. But now was the time. He was sure of it. Squall was going to ask him to come back to Garden. Surely someone of his stature, his ability, would not be denied a job in Garden. He'd file papers. He'd mop the floors. Just a tiny job was all he was looking for.

But surely today was the day. That's why Squall was the last one out of the boat. He wanted to speak to him privately. That was understandable. Seifer's heart traveled into his throat as Squall finally passed him. This was it. This was the moment he had waited so long for.

The brunette passed without even looking at him.

_"Another talk wouldn't hurt,"_ Seifer though. _"He'll see my way this time."_

(0000000000)


	3. Three for Girls

As the Paths Diverged

WARNINGS

1) I don't own the Final Fantasy characters, series, or plotline. I guess I own this, but if you steal it, I probably won't do anything about it.

2) Rated PG-13 for language and violence.

3) Let's place the story about a year after Ultimicia.

**Three for Girls**

"I didn't junction it," Ethan protested as Dr. Kadowaki examined him. "He just sorta disappeared." Still without a shirt and being poked with at least seven needles, the cadet wasn't pleased. The infirmary smelled very hospital like, and the entire scene freaked him out.

"You're right," Dr. Kadowaki muttered, looking at his blood work. "You didn't junction him." She placed the tubes back down on the table and sat down. "But there's definitely a trace of him on you." The doctor fiddled with a pen on her desk; thinking intently. "He didn't say anything to you did he?"

"No," Ethan lied. "POOF! He just disappeared."

Dr. Kadowaki looked at him skeptically, but finally let out a sigh. "You're free to go."

Ethan ran his hand through his hair and left the Infirmary. He was pretty sure that his performance in Centra got him into SeeD. It better damn well have gotten him in. His regrets of the Fire Cavern vanished as he limped back to his dorm.

(0000000000)

"You didn't think he'd junction?" Quistis pestered, looking down on Squall. "Do you think that child even knows the power he possesses?"

"Odin doesn't junction," Squall muttered. His office was too crowded now. He wanted to be alone. Standing up from his chair, Squall went to look out over the Alcauld Plains. The sun had finally set and the sky was a dark gray. The wind smelled like rain. Squall was expecting a storm in the next half hour. "The cadet's blood tests prove that Odin doesn't junction."

"You know what I mean," Quistis scowled, giving no ground.

The brunette let out a sigh and continued to gaze out the window. As if summoned, a soft drizzle began to fall on Garden. The rain became more intense as the sky became darker and darker.

"Don't tell me you planned this," Quistis said, coming to a revelation. "This power will break so many student rules. Just wait until he discovers it. What if he's fighting another cadet? Odin would kill him. You haven't thought this through."

"A SeeD was supposed to defeat him," Squall growled, turning to face her. A flash of anger covered his face, but it quickly fell back to its usual stoic state. "I don't sacrifice my students."

"But…"

"That's enough."

Noticing that her persuasion would go no further, Quistis grabbed her papers and made to exit. She reached the door and debated saying goodbye. She declined and shut the door quietly.

Squall turned back to the window and watched the torrential downpour continue. He still hadn't announced who passed the SeeD exam. Maybe in the morning.

(0000000000)

"For the fifth time," Ethan snapped, obviously pissed. "I have no clue what happened." After a five minute walk, he finally made it back to his dorm. All he wanted to do was sleep. He knew Odin didn't just disappear. His head felt weird. Not like a junction feeling, but just a weird sensation. He figured it was just exhaustion and that he would sleep it off. But no, his stupid roommate had decided to ask him 87 questions as soon as he walked through the door.

"Geez back off," Jostin muttered, turning on the TV. "Just curious how the test went."

"Alright I guess," Ethan replied, taking off his boots. "I'm just tired."

"And they stole your shirt?"

"The stupid horse did. It probably ate it."

"Maybe it's better I didn't go then," Jostin laughed, as he watched Ethan limp to the back of the dorm.

"Maybe. I'm going to bed. You wake me up I'll have your head."

"Whatever man."

(0000000000)

"Mr. Leonhart," came the voice of Xu through the intercom. "You have a visitor, but he doesn't have an appointment."

Squall continued to look out his window. He didn't want to be disturbed right now.

"Squall?"

Aggravated, Squall made his way over to the intercom. "Tell him to make one. I'll take no surprise visitors tonight." The brunette waited for a response, but got none. Brushing his hair out of his eyes, Squall returned to the window.

"It's Seifer," Xu squeaked

(0000000000)

"I thought you wouldn't come," Seifer smirked. He wore his trench coat with pride and Hyperion hung from his belt. "Can't we have this discussion inside?"

"No we can't," Squall replied. He wore a dark hooded sweatshirt, as the storm had not yet let up. The smell of wet grass flooded his senses as he squinted through the rain to see Seifer. "You're lucky they let you live in Balamb. The cadets aren't so forgiving in Garden."

"They will learn to be," Seifer snarled, a fire growing in his eyes. "The world will learn to respect me again."

"I told you last time…"

"Squall you told me to rot in Balamb," the blonde interrupted. A flash of lightning caused them to both go quiet for a few seconds. The ground rumbled under the thunder and the rain refused to let up. Seifer wiped the water off of his brow and continued to glare at Squall. "I can't stay there forever. Old feelings will stay until I do something to change them."

"Old feeling will get worse if we do anything drastic," Squall refuted, looking Seifer in the eyes. "You can't break through walls. You've built them too strong."

"You think this is my fault?!" Seifer exclaimed, throwing his arm out in protest. "You think I intentionally tried to conquer the world? Come on Squall, you know me better then that!"

"I do!" Squall shouted, as the conversation was becoming heated. "But the world doesn't!" Another bolt of lightning, closer this time, struck. A heavy shake followed from the thunder. It may have just been Squall's imagination, but he could have sworn the rain was getting worse. "You're the most hated man in the world Seifer – whether you'd like to admit it or not. You, I, nor Hyne himself can make everything ok in a year."

A silence came over the two as Seifer scowled at Squall. The rain had definitely gotten worse. It felt like standing under a water fall now. The storm was relentless. "Then when Squall?" the blonde questioned sternly. "When can I come out of hiding and come back to Garden."

Squall brushed off a puddle of water that had been forming on his hood and brought his glance to the ground. "That's up to society."

"But how can you ignore my talents?" Seifer pleaded, running out of arguments. "You know if anyone belongs in SeeD, it's me. Right Squall?"

"You're too old for SeeD, Seifer," Squall muttered, dropping his head into his hands. "You have no place in Garden."

Another lightning flash added effect to the silence as Seifer glared coldly at the brunette. "I can't stay in Balamb forever, Squall. I can't remain stationary too much longer."

"I can't help you Seifer," the brunette muttered, refusing to make eye contact. Go back to Balamb."

Filled with both anger and depression, Seifer watched Squall head back inside. Wiping the rain off of his brow, the blonde turned to head back to Balamb. He didn't plan to stay in town very long.

(000000000000)


	4. Four for Boys

As the Paths Diverged

WARNINGS

1) I don't own the Final Fantasy characters, series, or plotline. I guess I own this, but if you steal it, I probably won't do anything about it.

2) Rated PG-13 for language and violence.

3) Let's place the story about a year after Ultimicia.

**Four for Boys**

His name wasn't there. Dammit, it wasn't there. Ethan dropped his head dejectedly and walked away from the cafeteria. He must have checked the list four times. It just wasn't there. This is why he never got his hopes up. He thought the whole Odin situation might have helped him, but apparently it did not. No victory speeches in class today No salary today. Just another year of regret.

Reluctantly, Ethan left the Quad. His head was still dizzy and now his stomach wasn't cooperating with him. It was going to be another long year. Running his hand through his short brown hairs, Ethan made his way back to his dorm. He decided against going to classes today.

"I'm taking that as a no?" Jostin asked, as Ethan slammed the door shut.

"Obviously," Ethan snapped. "Leave me alone."

"Whatever man," Jostin replied. "You AND I will get them next year."

_"Shut up,"_ the brunette thought as he made his way into his bedroom. His ceiling fan turned slowly as he threw himself on the bed. The vague scent of the ocean could always be detected from his room, which he sort of appreciated. Actually he appreciated his entire room. He loved it because it was his. Not many things were his growing up.

Sighing, Ethan put his hands under his pillow and rolled onto his side. It was a sucky day today. He hated being depressed. It wasn't a suicidal depression, but it still hurt. He was the fat kid in dodge ball and nobody picked him up this game. _"Maybe next year,"_ he told himself.

Ethan had spent a lot of time at Garden. He was there from age six – the earliest age admitted. Garden was built originally for orphans. Falling into this category, Gouldren was a shoe-in. His parents died when he was three and he was shuffled around from relative to relative. Overall, his early years were pretty shitty.

It was an awkward situation, but Ethan tried to keep an optimistic outlook on life. He never discussed his family; trying as hard as possible to seem as normal as the other kids. He considered himself fairly successful. Even his own roommate had no idea about his family life. This left for one problem – summer vacation. Ethan left his Aunt Penny's house on less than superb terms last summer. He doubted she would take him back this summer. He doubted he would allow himself to return this summer.

This is why he was somewhat banking on the SeeD exam. If he would have passed, he would have been allowed a single dorm on campus all summer. It wasn't Hyne's will though. Maybe he was meant to have another summer of hell. Or maybe, just maybe, someone would offer him a room this summer. Ethan smiled to himself and shook his head. _"Screw classes. What I need is a friend."_

"Wow, Mr. Dincht, do you remember me," Jostin said quite loudly. His voice was muffled through the wall, but Ethan could still make him out.

"Unfortunately," Zell replied, looking at the cadet disgustedly. "How are your burns?"

"Recovering," the cadet muttered, turning a light shade of red.

"Good. Listen, is Ethan here?"

"Right here," Ethan smiled, emerging from his room. His heart just bounced into his throat. Maybe there was a mistake. Zell was here to tell him that it was all a mistake. His day just became a whole lot better.

"Throw on a shirt. Let's take a walk," Zell suggested, motioning to the door.

"Sure," Ethan shrugged. This was better than he expected. They obviously recognized that he's the one that beat Odin. They obviously realized that there was a horrible mistake.

"Let me start out by saying congratulations on your SeeD performance," Zell started, leading him down the dorm hallway toward the fountain area. "Squall was going to make a visit to you himself, but complications have arisen.

"Thanks," the cadet beamed. The air smelled so much fresher now. People were staring at him, as the one and only Zell Dincht never, ever, talked to a cadet one on one.

"Anyway," the SeeD continued. "I was sent to discuss your situation."

"My situation?"

"Yeah," Zell nodded, scratching his neck. They passed a group of girls who were jumping up and down ecstatically. Ignoring them, Zell turned left and they continued around the loop. "There was a mistake with the SeeD test."

"Really?" Ethan asked innocently. Inside, he was beaming. This couldn't have worked out any better.

"A mistake on our part really, but it affected you."

"How so?" the cadet asked smugly.

"Odin has possessed a small part of your body and you will never be able to get rid of him," Zell said quickly, hoping to get the bad part over with quickly.

Ethan stopped walking. His mind suddenly felt much worse. After building his hope up so high, this news made his head spin even more. "What?" he stuttered.

"Come into the parking garage," Zell instructed, it's a long story.

Ethan hazily walked into the paved parking lot. The parking garage was just recently paved, so a heavy scent of tar invaded Ethan's senses. Grasping his head, Ethan suddenly realized how downhill this conversation had gone.

"Odin isn't a normal GF," Zell started, indicating this would be a long explanation. The SeeD leaned against a large stone pillar as he launched into the explanation. "He won't junction and is quite unreliable." Zell paused and looked to the ground. "Nobody ever beats Odin totally into submission. Quite the contrary, Odin sort of gives up."

"GFs don't give up," Ethan laughed. "They don't have free will. Either you control them or they wander around sporadically."

"Very true," Zell replied, scratching the back of his head. "But as I said, Odin isn't a normal GF."

Ethan stared at the SeeD blankly. A silence fell on the duo as Zell gathered his thoughts. Luckily, a convertible zoomed by, causing a distraction.

"Anyway, people say that Bahamut is the first GF, and therefore the most powerful. This is true, but being not a GF, Odin is different. He's very chivalrous and old fashioned. You must prove yourself to him instead of defeat him."

"So I proved myself worthy?" Ethan asked skeptically. His stomach was spinning faster and he couldn't stop sweating. A headache began pounding in his temples. He needed to lay down, but he couldn't dismiss himself from Zell. That would be disrespectful.

"Apparently so," the SeeD nodded. "He even told you so, but you lied to Dr. Kadowaki."

"Sorry," Ethan responded, wiping the sweat off of his forehead. "She was just accusing me of junctioning it, which I didn't."

"You're blood work showed that. There was no need to lie." Zell looked at the cadet, who was breathing heavily and looked sickly. "You gonna be alright?"

"Yeah," Ethan heaved. "Sorry."

"Ok, well…" the Zell muttered, regaining his train of thought. "I guess I should tell you the effects of Odin. He feeds off of emotions, so Odin will be summoned when you have a strong feeling of hatred, pain, or fear. His attack will invariably kill your opponent with no hope of resuscitation."

Ethan's eyes opened wide. He had no clue that the GF possessed so much power. Next time Aunt Penny got out of line, this would be a helpful tool. Then another wave of sickness encompassed his body.

"So obviously we must learn to funnel this ability," Zell continued. "Possessing Odin puts you well past your age group, so restrictions must be placed."

Ethan didn't like the sound of that. "So I'm not allowed in SeeD?"

"I'm sorry," the blonde muttered, scratching the back of his head. "But I'm gonna have to ask you to remove your junctions and hand in your gloves."

"What?" Ethan asked, feeling a whole new wave of sickness overcoming him. The sweating was worse and his head felt like it was going to explode. The room spun around him, and the tar only added to his nausea. It started as a few hiccups, but Ethan knew it was going to get much worse.

"Until an alternative program can be developed, Garden cannot trust you to be in combat with other cadets. It sucks, but it'll only be tempor…HYNE DAMMIT!!" Zell's favorite pair of red and black sneakers were now covered in puke.

(0000000000)

Ethan felt better. Laying in the infirmary, the cool air conditioning was refreshing. The pain killers were slowly taking away his headache and his stomach had settled.

Mentally however, Ethan felt a lot worse. Not only was he out of SeeD, but he was also practically kicked out of Garden. No gloves. No GFs. No training period. Not to mention he had puked on a SeeD. This day had definitely taken a turn for the worse. Zell had calmed down after they made it to the infirmary, but that still wasn't cool.

"You are not to leave this summer," Zell had hurriedly explained to him. The blonde was frantic to get rid of him and wash his shoes. "You will remain on this alternative program until it is deemed you are not a threat to the other students. Got it?"

"Yeah," Ethan had responded.

"Good. I'll be in touch."

Thinking about it now, this was sort of bitter-sweet news. On the bright side, he wouldn't have to worry about summer vacation. On the other hand, he was a lab rat for Hyne knew how long.

Ethan just closed his eyes and listened to the soft chimes outside in the courtyard. Tomorrow would come. Not soon enough, but tomorrow would come.

(0000000000)

Squall thought he was joking. Well he expected this someday, but this was too sudden. Shaking his head, the brunette again returned to the window in his office. The sky was clear tonight. Multiple stars were scattered across the heavens and the moon loomed three quarters full. Maybe this wasn't such a bad thing after all. You never knew with Seifer. Maybe he wasn't completely retarded and went someplace secluded.

Regardless of where he went, Balamb harbor was missing a boat. Garden would be forced to pay for that, and the town would definitely never let Seifer back. Running a hand through his hair, Squall looked down to the calm ocean. Tonight was serene – too serene for Seifer.

(0000000000)


	5. Five for Silver

As the Paths Diverged

WARNINGS

1) I don't own the Final Fantasy characters, series, or plotline. I guess I own this, but if you steal it, I probably won't do anything about it.

2) Rated PG-13 for language and violence.

3) Let's place the story about a year after Ultimicia.

**Five for Silver**

The going was good until it got cold. Scratch that. The going was good until they ran out of food. They were between a rock and a hard place for a little while there. The boat was two days away from Balamb and Hyne knows how far from their destination. This plan was definitely not thought out.

Somehow they made it. Too tired to get up, Seifer lied on the icy shore. The Balamb catfish suddenly looked like a delicacy. A bitterly cold gust of wind cut into Seifer's face. He didn't know why he was here anymore. Maybe Squall was right. Maybe their best bet would have been to stay in Balamb forever.

"You alright man?" Raijin questioned, standing over the giant blonde. "It's still a long walk ya know?"

Seifer looked up hazily. Of course Raijin was in better shape than him; Fujin and him snuck food at every possible turn. Bastards.

"I'm hungry Seifer," Rage whined. "Fujin says she could go for something too."

Seifer snarled as he got to his feet. A very light snow had begun to fall, which added precipitation to the already freezing environment. Brushing the snow off of his trench coat, Seifer glared at his friends. "We need to get to shelter soon or we'll freeze."

"FOOD!" Fujin exclaimed.

Looking to the west, Seifer spotted three Mesmirizes grazing the snow covered grass. "There's dinner."

(0000000000)

Trabia Garden had progressed smoothly since its bombing last year. Although they did not get much funding, Garden was almost functional. A few months ago, Trabia opened its doors to the students again. Although it had a very small population, Garden was again beginning to bring in an income and prosper.

Selphie was so proud of them. Her home Garden had found its feet again. Although Squall didn't donate nearly as much as she had hoped, Selphie thought by next year, Trabia Garden would be back to full power. The energetic brunette constantly helped Trabia rebuild, and could be found there at least once a month. Almost all of her fundraisers benefited Trabia Garden. Selphie just knew they were going to pull through. Trabia had often offered her ownership of Garden, but she always declined. It was too much responsibility in her books.

So in Selphie's place, they put Alexi Theoter. Selphie knew him to be a generally good leader, so she was content. He was no Squall Leonhart, but wasn't terrible in any specific aspect. If Alexi was good at anything, it was finances. Rebuilding Garden was no small task. In a year's work however, Alexi almost brought it back to functional. Because of this leadership, Trabia Garden was assumed to be Balamb's quiet neighbor to the north.

This all changed a humid Tuesday afternoon. There were a few flurries in the morning, but everything cleared up around noonish. This is when trouble began. Alexi arrived in his office around eleven. Like every other morning, he sipped his coffee and approved or declined paperwork. Running a hand through his long black hair, Alexi looked over yet another budget form. Then the sightings began.

It started as strangers lost in the snow. Trabia was more than hospitable to strangers, but then the reports became more bizarre. One of the strangers suddenly was wearing a trench coat. Then it was reported all the strangers were armed. This was bad news. Alexi began to worry, and the picture was slowly put together. Seifer had escaped from Balamb and was coming to Trabia.

Panic was imminent, and phone calls were soon made.

(0000000000)

"I don't control him," Squall muttered into the phone, as he stared blankly out the window. It was raining again. Now that he thought about it, this week was full of rain.

"You obviously knew he was missing," Alexi exclaimed, taking the defensive. "A small note might have been nice."

"Again, I'm not his guardian," the brunette snapped. "Seifer is not required to stay in the town of Balamb."

"Yes but we assumed he would stay there."

"Garden is not bound to the terms of your assumptions."

Taking a breath, Alexi wiped the sweat off of his brow and sat down. This was a losing argument and he knew it. "Alright, I realize it's not your fault," he admitted. "But may we request assistance from your SeeDs to possibly oversee this complication?"

"Not at the present moment," Squall said sharply. A bit of anger still hung in his voice. "Seifer has been peaceful in Balamb for almost a year. I see no reason why he should be unruly there."

"You're forgetting he bombed our Garden," Alexi growled, losing his temper. "Our people will not be as welcoming as the residents of Balamb." His breath was becoming faster as the conversation progressed. Alexi waited for Squall's response, but an awkward silence filled the phone.

"If violence escalates, we'll look into it," Squall muttered after what seemed like an eternity. He turned his back to the window and sat back down at his desk. "SeeD will not be Seifer's babysitter."

"That will be adequate," Alexi sighed reluctantly. If only he was talking to Selphie, this would have gone a lot smoother. He always had a harder time with Squall. The man did not give any ground.

"A small vessel was also taken from Balamb Harbor," Squall noted, running a hand through his hair. "If you could return that expediently…"

"Of course. But please keep an eye on Trabia."

"I always do," the brunette responded. Slamming the phone down, Squall slouched back into his chair. He'd been having a lot of rough nights recently.

(0000000000)

"Yo! Yo! Wake up man!"

Ethan reluctantly rolled onto his side. Sunlight poured in from the adjacent window, causing him to barely squint at his visitor. Trying to wake up, Ethan said the most logical thing he could think of: "Huh…wha?"

"Don't give me that. It's almost noon," Zell muttered, leaning against the adjacent wall.

"Sorry," Ethan apologized. Sense was finally returning to him as he looked about his room. "Usually SeeDs don't make personal visits to Dorms."

Zell shrugged and pulled a cookie out of his pocket. "I gotta help you move today," the blonde said, before taking a large chunk out of the cookie. "Mmm, I love peanut butter."

There was a sudden pause in the conversation as Ethan tried to comprehend this news. The appropriate emotion would be shock, but he was too bushed for that. Instead he opted for tired resignation. "Alright, can I have a piece of that cookie?"

"No," Zell said bluntly. "What do you want to move first?"

Luckily, Ethan didn't have too many personal belongings, and his entire room was out of the dorm in about a half hour. His roommate Jostin was also slowly packing things, as he was heading home for the months before fall semester began. Luckily the corridors weren't too crowded, as only SeeDs and failing students stayed for summer semester.

"You should be back to normal by fall semester," Zell said shrugging. "We just have to quarantine you for now."

Ethan dropped his head and followed the blonde. His book bag was a lot heavier than he remembered it.

"You didn't want to leave for summer anyway did you?" Zell asked suddenly.

"No, Wait how did you…?

"Hahaha, we have your file you know," the blonde reminded him. "Just give us a few months and you'll be in tip-top shape." Zell threw open a single room. It was barren, but not a jail cell either. "I'll be back later probably."

Reluctantly, Ethan threw his stuff into his new room and closed the door.

---GNIMAERD---

"Everything's a joke to you isn't it?"

"No…"

"We raised you better than that. You know that, don't you?"

"Yes, I'm sorry."

"No you're not. You'll probably have a smart ass comment for us here soon."

"No I…"

"You should be doing better. You should be more successful by now."

"I know…"

"Things better improve young man."

"They will mom. They will dad."

---DREAMING---

(00000000000)


	6. Six for Gold

As the Paths Diverged

WARNINGS

1) I don't own the Final Fantasy characters, series, or plotline. I guess I own this, but if you steal it, I probably won't do anything about it.

2) Rated PG-13 for language and violence.

3) Let's place the story about a year after Ultimicia.

**Six for Gold**

Seifer Almasy wasn't sure if they were going to shoot at him. He wouldn't have been surprised in fact. He had been partially blamed for blowing up this fine little foundation. Actually he had been fully blamed, but that was irrelevant. What did matter, was Seifer knew that it was against the customs of Trabia to turn any peaceful refugee away. This was mostly due to the year-round, harsh, winter conditions which Trabia Garden suffered. It was also a bitch for students to go for a stroll on a Friday morning, only to find themselves tripping left and right over frozen corpses. Therefore, Trabia Garden found it better to grant refuge to meager travelers. According to precedent, Garden would grant up to two months refuge to any wandering person. This is what Seifer was banking on. Putting on a smile, Seifer approached the entrance to Trabia Garden.

A new door had been installed into Garden, but it was still malfunctional. A malfunctioning door still trumped having to climb over the wall. Regardless, Seifer approached the door with a heavy sense of uneasiness. The tall blonde pushed a small patch of snow off of his jacket and began to knock. As expected, he didn't receive a warm welcome. They quite obviously were expecting him.

On top of Trabia Garden's wall, four riflemen appeared and took aim at Seifer, Raijin, and Fujin. They all looked similar, as their heavy parkas covered most of their bodies. The arctic wind failed to pierce their coats and they took aim without hesitance. "You are not welcome here Seifer," one of them called. "Return from whence you came."

Seifer had been in this situation too many times before. He snickered to himself and looked up happily to his aggressors. Wrapping his hand around Hyperion, Seifer contemplated putting them in their place. It took every ounce of his strength not to attack them. Who were they to deny him access to anything? Didn't they know who he was? Didn't the Sorceress's Knight strike fear into the heart of the commoners anymore? He was righteous. They weren't better. No he could rip them all. He could tear and shred them.

"We mean it," another rifleman called. "Take the boat back to Balamb. We'll never let you in here without a fight."

Seifer snarled and glared at his opponents. If a fight is what they wanted, a fight they would get. The tall blonde began to unsheathe Hyperion.

"We fight ya?" Raijin asked as he awkwardly approached Seifer.

Seifer looked to the riflemen and then to Raijin and Fujin. They would easily be victorious. It would be simple to storm Trabia Garden. Hell, they could even give all the SeeDs in Garden a run for their money. However, a quiet thought suddenly crossed Seifer's often dense mind. Taking Garden by force would never work. "No. Sheathe your weapons."

"But Seif…" Raijin protested.

The tall blonde pushed him backwards and stared up to the riflemen. Brute force had been his downfall before. If Seifer learned anything from being the Sorceress's Knight, it was that cunning is just as important as strength. No, he could never conquer Trabia and expect them to accept him as their leader. He would have to move in slowly and infect their Garden. Like a disease, he would have to spread himself across the school and contaminate the students' hearts. It was a slow, tedious process, but Seifer set his mind to it.

"We come for immunity," Seifer called to the riflemen. "Trabia Garden will grant refuge to any person who calls for immunity."

"Garden does not protect armed criminals," one of the riflemen spat. "Garden will not give shelter to you Seifer."

Unsheathing Hyperion, Seifer threw it five feet away from him. Looking to their leader, both Raijin and Fujin also discarded their weapons. "We're unarmed and call for immunity," Seifer smiled, placing his hand on the metal door. "Are you going to let peaceful refugees freeze in the snow?"

A long silence passed as the riflemen slowly lowered their guns. After a few minutes of glaring between the two parties, a long dark haired man climbed to the top of the wall with the riflemen. "Let them in," Alexi growled, looking directly at the tall blonde. "Send them to my office."

(0000000000)

"Is he junctioned?"

"No."

"Is he armed?"

"No."

"You have the emergency plan in place?"

"Zell is in position," Quistis nodded as she looked at the sleeping Ethan on her computer screen.

"Let's have at it then," Squall muttered, pulling up a chair.

(0000000000)

Ethan slept well in his new room. With no windows, the pitch blackness let him snooze well into the afternoon. Today would not grant him these pleasures. With a 'thump', the overhead neon lights cast blinding white light throughout the room. Needless to say, Ethan didn't snooze for much longer. As the cadet wiped the sleep from his eyes, he heard a merry little cry come out of the ventilation duct. _"At least it was happy_," Ethan thought to himself.

At first, Ethan thought he just imagined it. Still, a small seed of fear had been planted in his heart. Ethan decided it was in his best interest to leave the room and join the company of other people. As he reached the door, another merry cry, louder this time, resonated throughout the room. He knew he heard it this time. The cry sounded very familiar; causing Ethan to freeze in his place. He cautiously reached for the knob and turned. Shockingly, the door was locked. Ethan didn't even know the door had a lock.

"Hello?" Ethan called, knocking lightly on the door. His room was in a desolate dorm hallway and it was unlikely that anybody would be around. Still, he thought it best to give it a shot. "Who locked the door?" Ethan heard one more cry and then the vent burst off of its' screws. Before him stood a ten inch tall Cactuar. Its' hip and creative dancing failed to faze Ethan.

"Open the fucking door!" the brunette yelled, as he pounded his fist onto the steel. He was done screwing around. This door needed to be open now. "Monster! Short, sharp monster is on the loose!"

On the other side of the door, Zell snickered to himself. He knew that this wasn't going to end well. He knew that Ethan would most likely end up in the infirmary. There wasn't too much humor to be found in this situation, but Zell invariably always found some. Just the whole visual of the cactuar dancing around the room tickled his fancy. The blonde found cactuars humorous in general. So as Zell laughed to himself, he kept his ear to the door and prepared himself to run in if things became too ugly.

Seeing his efforts were in vain, Ethan regained his composure and turned to the dancing, green Cactuar. Maybe this wasn't as bad as he thought. The so called monster appeared to be quite jovial. By Ethan's standards, the Cactuar seemed to be enjoying himself, which is all he could ask for.

"Cactuar!" the monster cried as he alternated lifting his left arm and right leg. He then sexily danced over to Ethan's bed and did a little jig there. New places were always fun for Cactuars. Actually old places were pretty fun too. Like other Cactuars, this one had a good time, all the time.

The cadet became mesmerized, as the Cactuar shed needles onto his bed. The fear drained out of Ethan's system as the seemingly harmless monster hopped off the bed and meandered across the room. According to his logic, the Cactuar was basically harmless. How could such a small, joyful individual bring him harm? Now Odin, that man had some attitude and a sword. But this little guy….well he couldn't be more dangerous than a pincushion. Ethan's logic was wrong. Do not follow his logic.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, where's the party buddy?" Ethan asked, approaching his dancing visitor. He had abandoned all of his inhibitions and contemplated petting the small creature. After seeing the two inch long needles on its' head, Ethan decided against it.

Surprisingly, the Cactuar did not return Ethan's feelings of love. Frankly, he didn't like the kid. The cadet was much too tall. Yes that was it. Ethan was much too tall to dance with Cactuar. Therefore, the green dancing machine contracted its' body and spewed its' needles across Ethan's face. The Cactuar believed that would send a clear message on where their friendship stood.

Ethan thought he died. If he did, he was surprised that it wasn't painful at all. Those needles must have been highly poisonous or something. Strangely, heaven clouded up quickly and a cold rain began to fall. Ethan took this as a good sign, as he didn't expect it to ever rain in hell. Just the whole cold water and fire and brimstone thing seemed oxymoronic. Then Ethan noticed that he wasn't in heaven after all. He was still in that blasted room. Dammit he hated that room. Suddenly there was a sound that brought a shiver down his spine. Odin's horse neighed defiantly as the GF appeared.

"He feeds off of emotions, so Odin will be summoned when you have a strong feeling of hatred, pain, or fear," Zell's voice echoed inside Ethan's head. "His attack will invariably kill your opponent with no hope of resuscitation."

With two quick trots, Odin unsheathed his sword. The dark rain clouds blocked out the bright neon lights and puddles were beginning to form on the floor. As Odin glared down the Cactuar, it stopped dancing.

Unlike Ethan, Odin successfully struck fear into the tiny Cactuar. This may be due to the fact that Ethan lacked a horse and an eight foot sword. Regardless, the cactuar decided to act quickly. Contracting its' small frame, needles again were dispelled from the Cactuar's body.

Odin was unfazed. He swung his sword in front of his hose and deflected most, if not all, of the needles. Odin paused for a few moments as if to show the cactuar that it was going to be slaughtered very shortly. Kicking his horse in the side, Odin charged at the small monster. With a few quick slices, the Cactuar was torn from limb to limb.

As if it were a dream, Ethan found himself back on the floor of his room. The rain clouds and Odin had disappeared and the room was deafly silent. Then the pain began. Every single needle in his face sent his nerves into a frenzy. He brought his hands up to take them out, but the needles just stuck into them. An almost appetizing aroma of sliced Cactuar hung in the air while blood ran down Ethan's face and palms. He wished he was dead.

(0000000000)

"I have recovered your boat," Alexi smiled, offering a seat to Seifer, Raijin, and Fujin. He closed his blinds quickly, as a small mob was beginning to form in the lobby below his office. Alexi knew very well that this plan could backfire. If he could get Seifer to leave the Garden quickly, he would be donned a hero. If they caused a ruckus here, he was the one who let them in. Alexi was determined to act quickly. "Trabia Garden will even offer you a better vessel for the return trip if your current one is undesirable."

Seifer watched the smile fade from Alexi's face as a long silence covered the room. They had no intention of leaving anytime soon. Seifer quite liked it here. Trabia was no Balamb Garden, but it was as close as he was going to get. The tall blonde would go as far as to say that he liked this very office. The spacious room had plush chairs, white carpet, and an angelic mural on the ceiling.

This contrasted greatly from Squall's dark office, which Seifer saw a lot of upon his capture from Lunatic Pandora. Those were some of the worst days of his life. Even worse than being defeated emotionally, he was forced to withstand an emotional attack. Like an unwanted animal, Seifer was smuggled into Balamb Garden in the dead of night and tied up in Squall's dark office. Zell, Quistis, Selphie, and Irvine were all there and looking repulsed by him. Worst of all, Rinoa would barely look at him, more or less talk to him. So after Squall made many phone calls to Balamb leaders, the town agreed to not lynch Seifer. With this guarantee, Seifer was kicked out of Garden and told to never return. He would be back in Balamb Garden soon though. Everything had been set in motion.

"So with full food accommodations and a 2500 Gil donation from us, you should be back to living comfortably in Balamb," Alexi concluded, breaking Seifer away from nostalgia. "I don't want to rush you, but how would you feel about departing tomorrow morning?"

A cold silence flooded the room and only the strong wind could be heard whistling outside. Slowly, Seifer focused his gaze on Alexi. "We're no longer welcome in the town of Balamb," the large blonde snarled. "We have two months refuge, and we plan to take full advantage of that."

Alexi's face went pale. He likely couldn't kick Seifer out of Garden without a fight. Bloodshed was the last thing he needed. But by doing nothing, his own students would soon behead him and he'd be exiled from his home. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Alexi's mind raced. "I'm sure after a few phone calls, Balamb will reconsider…"

"I seriously doubt that," Seifer snickered, leaning forward in his chair. "I assure you, Sir, in two months; we'll be out of your hair.

"You're nothing but vermin!" Alexi suddenly exploded. He slammed his fist down on the desk to emphasize the point. "I will have you out of here in two weeks!"

"Where's our dorm?" Seifer asked, smiling from ear to ear.

(0000000000)


End file.
